Alexandra Eala will be hoping to climb back up the rankings during the clay court season.
Eala reached her career-high ranking of world number 29 last month after a breakthrough run on the WTA Tour.
However, the Filipina dropped a significant number of points after the Miami Open, meaning that Eala has now dropped back out of the top 40.
Eala has previously struggled on clay, but Rusedski has faith that she can improve her form on the surface in 2026.
Greg Rusedski suggests Alexandra Eala should be targeting the top 20
Eala is one of the most popular players in all of tennis right now, and Rusedski believes that she is just what the WTA Tour needs.
Rusedski also stated that he believes Eala can challenge for the top 20 in the WTA rankings during the clay court season.
Alexandra Eala will finish 2026 ranked — in the world
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“She’s like the Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines, he’s like a God over there with his fighting career,” Rusedski said on his ‘Off Court with Greg Rusedski‘ podcast. “They’re always so hungry for a new superstar. She’s a lovely girl, she’s been at the Rafael Nadal Academy for multiple years.
“We talked about the serve being better, it’s going to be harder for people to hit a hole through her, it’s going to be much more physically combative. As you said, being at the academy with Rafa on clay, he’s spent a lot of time with her so she knows what to do.
“I’d love to see her in the top 20. She is great for the WTA, we need more superstars, we need more names and we need new people. She just opens up a marketplace and people just love her.
“Anywhere around the world where there are people from the Philippines, they’re always talking about her. What meal can I cook for her? What can I do? Just automatically her matches sell out, she is a huge, huge positive and I’d love to see her on this surface crack top 20 in the world.”
Eala has just 70 points to defend during the clay court season, which is less than five percent of her overall ranking total.
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What is Alexandra Eala’s schedule for the clay court season?
Eala is playing her first clay court tournament of 2026 at the WTA 500 tournament in Linz this week, ahead of a busy few weeks for the current world number 46.
The 20-year-old has entered five tournaments ahead of the French Open, with Eala even dropping down to WTA 125 level.
After competing in Linz, Eala is entered to play qualifying in Stuttgart, before competing at the Madrid Open, the WTA 125 event in La Bisbal d’Empordà and the Italian Open ahead of the French Open.
Eala will begin her clay court season against Austrian player Julia Grabher in Linz, in a first-time meeting.
This match will take place on Tuesday, April 7, with the winner taking on fourth seed Jelena Ostapenko.
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